Doubles is the heart of pickleball. It's where the sport is most dynamic, most tactical, and most fun. But winning doubles matches consistently requires more than just good individual skills — it demands strategy, communication, and an understanding of how you and your partner function as a unit.
In my 22 years of coaching, I've seen technically skilled players lose to tactically smarter opponents time and time again. If you want to win more doubles matches, this pickleball doubles strategy guide covers the key concepts that separate winning teams from the rest.
1. Get to the Kitchen Line — Together
The single most important strategic principle in doubles pickleball is this: the team that controls the non-volley zone (the kitchen line) wins the majority of points. Your primary objective after every serve and return should be to advance to the kitchen line as quickly and safely as possible.
The key word is "together." A common mistake is for one player to rush the net while their partner hangs back at the baseline. This creates a gap in your court coverage that skilled opponents will exploit ruthlessly. Move forward as a unit. If your partner is stuck at the baseline, stay with them until you can both advance together.
The transition from baseline to kitchen is the most vulnerable moment in a doubles point. Use drop shots — soft, arcing shots that land in the opponents' kitchen — to buy yourself time to close the gap. We'll cover the third shot drop in detail below, but for now, understand that it exists primarily as a tool to help you and your partner get to the net.
2. Master the Third Shot Drop
The third shot drop is arguably the most important shot in competitive pickleball doubles strategy. Here's why: after the serve (shot 1) and the return (shot 2), the serving team is at a disadvantage. The returning team's partner is already at the kitchen line, and the returner is moving forward to join them. The serving team, however, is stuck at the baseline.
A third shot drive — hitting the ball hard — might feel satisfying, but against competent opponents, it usually comes back faster and harder. The third shot drop changes the equation. By hitting a soft, controlled shot that arcs over the net and lands in the kitchen, you neutralise the opponents' net position and give yourself time to move forward.
The technique is deceptively simple: open paddle face, gentle lifting motion from below the ball, follow through toward your target. The ball should peak on your side of the net and descend into the kitchen, making it impossible for your opponents to attack it aggressively.
Practice this shot relentlessly. At Pickleball Camp, we dedicate significant time to the third shot drop because it's the single skill that most improves a team's win rate at the intermediate and advanced levels.
3. Communicate Constantly
The best doubles teams talk to each other throughout every point. Communication isn't just about calling "mine" or "yours" on ambiguous balls (though that's essential). It's about sharing information, setting up plays, and keeping your partner informed about what you're seeing and planning.
Key communication points include:
- "Mine" / "Yours": Call every ball that's near the centre line. The general rule is that the forehand player takes the middle ball, but this should be discussed before the match starts.
- "Stay" / "Switch": After a cross-court exchange, you may need to switch sides. Communicate this immediately so your partner isn't caught out of position.
- "Up" / "Back": Let your partner know when it's safe to move forward or when they need to hold their position. If you've just hit a deep return, say "up" to signal that it's time to advance together.
- Shot calling: If you see an opportunity — "I'm going line" or "shake and bake" — let your partner know so they can position accordingly.
Quiet teams lose more than they should. Make communication a habit, not an afterthought.
4. Learn to Stack
Stacking is a formation strategy where both players line up on the same side of the court before the serve or return, then move to their preferred positions once the ball is in play. It's used to keep each player on their strongest side — typically, ensuring that both players' forehands cover the middle of the court.
Here's how it works in practice. If you and your partner both have strong forehands and you want them covering the centre, you'll stack so that after the serve, you shift to position both forehands in the middle. The player not serving or returning starts on the same side as their partner, then slides across once the ball is hit.
Stacking is particularly effective when:
- One or both players have a significantly stronger forehand than backhand
- You want to keep a left-handed player on the left side (or right-handed on the right) to cover the middle with forehands
- You want to disrupt your opponents' patterns by changing your court positions
It takes practice to execute smoothly — the movement needs to be automatic so it doesn't distract from your shot-making. But once mastered, stacking gives you a meaningful tactical advantage, particularly against teams that aren't used to seeing it.
5. Target Weaknesses Relentlessly
One of the most underused strategies in recreational pickleball doubles is targeting the weaker player or the weaker shot. Many players try to distribute the ball evenly, or they hit to whichever side is open. That's fair-minded, but it's not strategic.
Instead, identify your opponents' weaknesses early and exploit them. Does one player have a weak backhand? Hit to their backhand side. Is one player slower to the kitchen line? Hit at their feet during the transition. Does one player struggle with fast hands at the net? Speed up the ball at them.
This isn't unsportsmanlike — it's smart play. The best doubles teams in the world do this consistently. The faster you can identify and attack your opponents' vulnerabilities, the more matches you'll win.
6. Master the Art of Poaching
Poaching is when the net player intercepts a ball that's heading toward their partner. Done well, it's devastating — a sharp volley or overhead put-away that ends the point instantly. Done poorly, it leaves a gaping hole in your court coverage.
The keys to effective poaching:
- Read the opponent's body position. If their paddle face is angled cross-court, that's your cue to move.
- Commit fully. Half-hearted poaches result in missed volleys and confused partners. If you're going, go.
- Communicate. Let your partner know you're poaching so they can cover the side you're leaving. A simple "switch" call works.
- Pick the right moment. Poach when your opponents are on the defensive — after a deep return, a good third shot drop, or when they're stretched wide.
Poaching adds an element of unpredictability to your doubles game. Even the threat of a poach can force your opponents into errors, as they try to hit wider or harder to avoid the intercept.
7. Manage Your Emotions and Energy
Doubles matches are won and lost on momentum. A three-point run can flip a game. A frustrated reaction to an error can spiral into a five-point deficit. The best doubles teams stay emotionally steady regardless of the score.
After a lost point, reset quickly. Discuss what happened briefly ("we need to get that third shot lower"), then move on. After a won point, stay focused — don't celebrate so hard that you lose concentration for the next one.
Energy management is equally important. Doubles rallies can be physically demanding, especially long dink exchanges at the net. Pace yourself, stay hydrated, and save your bursts of intensity for the moments that matter most.
Bring It All Together
Winning pickleball doubles strategy isn't about having the hardest drive or the fanciest spin serve. It's about positioning, communication, shot selection, and partnership. Work on these seven areas with your doubles partner, and you'll see your win rate climb.
At Pickleball Camp in the Hunter Valley, we dedicate an entire session to doubles strategy — complete with wine, of course. It's one of the most popular parts of the camp because players immediately see how tactical awareness transforms their game. Join us at the next camp and learn to play smarter, not just harder.